Universal-Investment 's new office in Krakow was designed by FBT Pracownia Architektury i Urbanistyki and Fruit Orchard Interior Design, with Kinnarps as the comprehensive furnishings supplier. Bold patterns, rich textures and a color scheme in shades of gray are the hallmarks of the newly created space.
Universal-Investment's offices located in High5ive - one of the most modern buildings in Krakow - form a cohesive whole. Those entering are greeted by a spacious, café-like space with plenty of places to encourage work, conversation and meetings. Nearby are conference rooms for creative work and concentration.
The spacious interior of the office is also due to the color scheme
photo: FOTOMOHITO
According to Aneta Pilch, a representative of Universal-Investment:
Our goal was to create a harmonious space that respects the diverse needs of our employees - sometimes individual work in concentration, and sometimes teamwork. There is room for rest and reflection and, importantly for the financial industry, for new ideas. The color scheme, the quality of the furniture and materials, have an impact on the well-being of employees. We wanted to create a place that, with comfort, quality and attention to detail, encourages work with the same qualities - substantive and great quality.
multifunctional office
In modern offices, where tasks carried out individually intermingle with formal meetings and the social life of the company, the space fulfills many functions. It is not only a tool for implementing the business strategy, emphasizing the prestige of the brand, a place to perform official duties and receive guests, but also the efficiency and comfort of work, as well as the quality of interaction depends on it. The location of the social area in a place with a view of the center of the historic city of Cracow allows employees to relax and get away from the routine of work.
The office is dominated by shades of gray and geometric forms
photo: FOTOMOHITO
Our cooperation included equipping the open space located on two floors with 300 workstations, as well as accompanying meeting spaces and conference rooms of various sizes. The expansive chillout area connected to the kitchen also featured arrangement elements supplied by Kinnarps custom-made according to the architect's design," says Paweł Łatka of Kinnarps Polska.
Shades of gray and geometry
Shades of gray dominate the Universal-Investment offices, but thanks to the geometric patterns of wallpaper and carpets and the harmonizing shapes of the furniture, the various textures of the materials used and the very good lighting, the space is full of energy. The atmosphere of the interior is warmed by natural wood used in both interior design elements and furniture finishes. The use of wood not only creates a cozy place to meet and work, but also brings out the contrast with the cool colors of the fabrics.
The atmosphere of the interior is warmed by natural wood
Photo: FOTOMOHITO
As Anna Federowicz-Tomaszewska says about the design work:
Cooperation with the client was very interesting, and working on the project gave us a lot of joy. As with any project, listening to the opinions of the investor, wanting to meet his expectations, we learn a lot ourselves. The challenge was to reconcile our desire to implement a non-standard project, with an individual character, with the client's suggestions for toning down, calming down the space and giving it a character in line with the company's profile. Hence the color scheme of gray contrasted with cold colors of blue and the introduction of geometric patterns in carpets, wallpapers. The culmination of the whole is the author's graphic designs by Polish artists Tomasz Opaliński and Sonia Hensler in the exposed areas of the office.
bold wallpaper patterns
photo: FOTOMOHITO
The character of Universal-Investment's interiors is emphasized by the consistent color scheme, bold patterns and richness of textures, which bring out contrasts, making the interiors interesting not only for visitors, but also for regulars.
As architect Katarzyna Miastkowska adds:
We thought about the style of Universal-Investment's offices, from the first discussions with the client, in the context of elegance and class, which would reflect the character and uniqueness of the brand. On the other hand, the challenge was to make the interiors cozy and create a pleasant place to work, while maintaining their mature character. It is extremely important to us that the office is not only beautiful to the eye, but also provides comfort during daily use.
